New Urban Community Creates Clearwater Residential Space for Active Adults

Posted on July 25, 2018 // 0 Comments

July 25, 2018 – With 3,347 people per square mile, Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in Florida, and opportunities for new residential construction are fewyet Stevenson Creek Townhomes, a planned urban infill development, is breathing new life into an established community perfect for active adults. The micro-community of seven townhomes will be built in a tract of open land along the Pinellas Trail – ten minutes by bike from the downtown areas of both Dunedin and Clearwaterwhich is also within walking distance to a kayak launch that gives access to the intracoastal waterway. The townhomes are also notable for offering concrete block construction, avoiding the water intrusion problems common with wood-and-stucco construction in Florida.

Opportunity-rich places like Pinellas County, which plays host to over 40,000 businesses and three of the nation’s top ten beaches, attract thousands of new residents each year, so even with a remarkably high population density there is still high residential demand. Urban infill is a development strategy that is helping to prevent unused, vacant land while offering new places to live in established neighborhoods with plenty of nearby shopping, entertainment, schools, and medical care. Small undeveloped tracts of land within pre-existing developments (“gaps”) can be transformed into small communities, as with Stevenson Creek Townhomes, that effectively use the space while creating intimate home settings. Urban infill is great for everyone, as it helps to increase a municipality’s tax base while also increasing property values in the surrounding established neighborhoods. By taking the place of a vacant lot, urban infill communities also eliminate the buildup of unsightly trash and hotspot of questionable activities that often occur in such places.

In addition to being a Pinellas Trail community, and its proximity to five parks, two beaches, and a boat launch, Stevenson Creek Townhomes will offer plenty in terms of nearby restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. It’s just a short bike or car ride to the Capitol Theatre, the Dunedin Library, and even the Blue Jays Spring Training site, and food/drinks in the area include a deli, barbeque spot, and artisan brewery. At home, Stevenson Creek Townhome residents will enjoy a community fire pit, dog-friendly greenspace, and plenty of guest parking. Its creative and ideal location means that residents can enjoy all the benefits of a contemporary and livable development without having to settle in an area where the commercial and civic amenities have yet to catch up.

Certus Living, the development firm behind the townhomes, has taken an additional step to differentiate them by building each two-story townhome with concrete masonry. Far more common in Florida is wood-frame-and-stucco construction, but due to the climate, these structures are almost guaranteed to sustain water intrusion at some point. In fact, reports of stucco water intrusion have become so pervasive that the problem has reached “billion-dollar” proportions. And no matter how skilled a stucco contractor one employs, tiny cracks can still naturally emerge that let in water and moisture, leading to mold and rot problems which often go unnoticed for years and end up causing tens of thousands of dollars in damages.

Concrete masonry helps to avoid these climate-related risks by being naturally watertight, and an overall much sturdier framework for homes which can occasionally be exposed to harsh elements. Concrete block homes afford residents far less worry and maintenance costs in the long run.

“With Stevenson Creek Townhomes, future residents will have the best of Floridacoastal living,” says Grant Wood, manager of the development. “They’ll benefit from contemporary, high-quality construction within the boundaries of an established neighborhood, situated by one of Florida’s best outdoor trails and most inviting urban areas.”

The two-story townhomes are all 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath, with the kitchen and living area on the first floor and a two-car garage. Values range from $350,000–$400,000, with a 20% down payment initiating construction. Groundbreaking on the community is scheduled for August 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.